Not to buy into fear mongering but I am really getting freaked out by recent reports of the potential projections for fall Swine Flu outbreak. It's not that I am total germaphobe but as a public school teacher and the parent to a small child I am in the direct line of fire to get sick. I typically do not get sick during the school year as I have quite an immune system after a decade of teaching.
But this really scares me to the point that I have become a clean freak (more than normal) in my classroom. For the first time ever I am mandating that if you leave my room to go the bathroom or even blow your nose that you use hand sanitizer when you return. I have even created a whole "student area" with staplers, tape, extra pencils, with a very stern warning about staying away from my desk for any reason. My kids are getting extra credit for bringing in supplies to keep us well stocked. I am also cleaning my desks (or rather using this as detention) every few days.
At home we are being extra vigilant to wash hands and making sure if he does get sick we make sure he stays at home early. Ben is a clean freak in the making(my making unfortunately). Nothing excites him more than getting to "clean" the kitchen sink with tons of soap and a big brush. He loves to help me "do dishes" and will wash his hands at the drop of a hat.
I also caught him having a vacuum cleaner race with another child lately. Handwriting on the wall, maybe, but if I can avoid sickness in my home then all worth the extra effort. I hope that the vaccine will be available to more than just old people and little kids although I am a little leery of putting a newly tested medicine in my body.
Other ideas on ways to ward off sickness short of wearing a mask and looking like an alarmist or Michael Jackson incarnate?
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
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3 comments:
Here is what our ped told us were some other precautions we could take the winter of RSV when we got denied the vaccine:
* Only go to public play areas first thing in the morning. The germs have cleared out overnight and the later in the day, the greater the exposure.
* Bring your own pen everywhere for signing receipts (grocery, doctors particularly) and likewise don't take the kids there if you can avoid it
* Avoid the doctors office as much as possible!
The last one made me laugh but it is where the highest concentration of sick people is. So our rule has always been, if someone has a fever we call the doctor first. And only go when we HAVE to.
Don't forget in general to get plenty of sleep and eat a well-balanced diet.
But in general you may be a little screwed with Ben starting a new school bc there are new germs and new people. Only time will tell. N&A got sick as soon as they moved to the new room and they hadn't been sick in months. Just a cold but I think it's from everyone going back to school and them being around new germs.
I hope it doesn't hit your schools like it has hit ours down here. We've been in school 12 days and several schools in the state have closed b/c of so much swine flu and stomach virus. Our school has tons of kids out with both so I am hosing the kids down as soon as they come in from school. I also sent germ ex with them to school and told them to use it several times a day. I hate it when my kids are sick but I hate it much more when I am so I'm taking every precaution to stay well.
Sending wishes of good health your way!
I wish we had bought stock in hand sanitizer! Make sure your students rub the sanitizer in their hands until it dries. That's important for effectiveness! You might bring a can of lysol to school, if you don't already have one, to spray down door knobs and other often-touched surfaces at the end of the day. As for Ben at daycare--he's screwed. Just kidding! I'm sure the school will be extra vigilant as well, as ours is. Does the school have hand-sanitizer dispensers? Ours has one right when you walk in the door, with a note that all parents and kids should use it as soon as they enter the building. It's one of those automatic dispensers, so you don't have to actually touch anything. Also, the kids wash their hands when they get to the classroom, as well. And definitely have Ben wash hands right before leaving school, or give him sanitizer in the car.
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